Bachelor in Paradise season 10 is all new: The show is set in a new location with new people and new inventive games to spice things up. If you haven’t gotten a chance to watch the episode or need a refresher for all of the drama that went down, we’ve got you covered. The first episode premiered July 7.
What’s New?
First new part of the season? The location. This season of Bachelor in Paradise is set at Azura Beach Resort in Costa Rica. The new resort boasts many pools, including one with a swim-up bar. While in the past, rooming situations haven’t been as nice, this season features private rooms (though seemingly there are roommates), possibly private pools attached to the rooms, and, most notably, according to host Jesse Palmer and some contestants, the resort has air conditioning. Contestants who find themselves back in paradise seem to be most excited about the AC.
Palmer introduces the contestants (and us) to the new aspects that the producers are bringing to the show.
Since the fourth season of Bachelor in Paradise, after he left the show in the third season, Wells Adams has become everyone’s favorite bartender. He originally appeared on JoJo Fletcher’s season of The Bachelorette. Though Adams’ title is bartender, he’s really more there to provide support to the contestants in their quest for love.
“It’s always fun to be back in paradise. I’m happy that we are back on the beach,” Adams says. “I feel like America needs this. It’s inflation, it’s tariffs, it’s a bunch of other crazy things happening, and we need to watch a bunch of idiots make out with each other on the beach.”
This year, alongside Adams, Palmer brought Hannah Brown onto the show as head of “Paradise Relations.” Though later in the episode she helped a contestant remake a rain-checked date, she seems to also be in the same position as Adams, helping contestants with whatever heart-to-hearts they need. Brown was originally on season 23 of The Bachelor, with Colton Underwood, and then went on to star in her own season of The Bachelorette. She chose Jed Wyatt at the end of her season, however, their relationship was short-lived when she found out he had a girlfriend the whole time he was on the show. She’s now engaged to Adam Woolard, whom she met on Hinge.
The new format changes to the show include the introduction of “chemistry tests,” little games and activities to help the contestants get to know each other better, and “Golden” contestants. Starting in 2023, ABC created The Golden Bachelor and The Golden Bachelorette. These shows follow older people looking for love, typically older than 50. Some contestants from those shows will be joining Paradise next week to continue their search for love.
But, before we meet them, there are sixteen younger singles to meet first. Here’s a run-down of who joins the show, a recap of their history with Bachelor Nation, and some important details to remember. This recap includes spoilers, particularly for those who appear on the show. However, we’ve saved the real spoilers, especially who gets a rose at the end, for the end of this. If you prefer avoiding spoilers, feel free to skip it.
Who’s Who?
Spencer Conley was the first to arrive in Paradise. The 31-year-old was on Jenn Tran’s season of The Bachelorette but was sent home in week 6. He called himself matcha, as he’s “not everyone’s cup of tea.” He also called himself loud, loyal, and a yapper.
Next to arrive was French-Canadian Alexe Goldin, who used “loud, proud, no filter” to describe herself in three words. She also calls herself the no-drama llama, harkening back to her entrance onto Grant Ellis’ season of The Bachelor, duringwhich she brought an actual llama to. She was eliminated in week 5 of that season. She’s looking for someone who is obsessed with her but not a spotlight stealer, because “that’s [her] role.”
Lexi Young founded a dating business after her stint on The Bachelor. She was on Joey Graziadei’s season, but chose to leave during week 6 because she and Joey had differences in what their timelines looked like. While he wanted to have a long engagement, she was looking to have children sooner, citing her struggles with endometriosis. Lexi is the next to arrive. On first glance, Spencer is her type, and she also says in a confessional, “I know you didn’t expect to see me, but I’m a hopeless romantic and I really believe my person could be here.”
Another newcomer is Jeremy Simon, from Jenn’s season, a thirty-year-old New Yorker. He said that he was excited for “no more screentime. Just some SPF, some beach, and some questionable decisions.
Jonathon Johnson, also from Jenn’s season, comes into the resort with Jeremy. In a confessional, he calls himself “your favorite medium king.” He goes on to say that he’s been “training for Paradise like it’s the Bachelor Olympics. Mind right, body right. I even practiced holding hands for longer than ten seconds. Jonathon was in Jenn’s final three, though was sent home right after the Overnight Dates. However, late last year, they were seen out together in Los Angeles. It doesn’t seem like anything came of that, though, as he’s back looking for love.
Bailey Brown was also on Grant’s season of The Bachelor, though she was sent home during the third week. When she arrived after Jonathon, she said, “I’m looking for the real deal. I want the Ryan to my Trista [the couple from the first season of The Bachelorette], the Jay-Z to my Beyoncé—minus the drama.” Though she was concerned that she doesn’t make the best first impressions, she immediately caught Jeremy’s eye.
The next person to arrive has a big personality: Hakeem Moulton arrives as a ball of energy, and someone says, “That’s either multiple people or just one Hakeem.” He was also in Jenn’s season, though he was eliminated in week 3. He says, “I’m looking for fireworks, for butterflies, you know, full Pixar montage. You know, minus the heartbreak.”
Jess Edwards enters the resort next, as “Captain of the SS Falls Hard and Fast from Joey’s Season,” reminding us of the boat she brings for her entrance on the first night of his season. She left Joey’s season, even before a Rose Ceremony in week 6, after telling Joey she was falling in love with him. He wasn’t able to reciprocate. She and Spencer immediately hit it off after she learns that Spencer was the first to arrive, and she needs “a tour guide.” Spencer said, “When Jess walked in, we just clicked. I haven’t been in love in years, but I feel like I’m ready to get engaged.”
Relatively unknown entity, Kyle Howard, arrives next to a lot of people who really don’t know him. He was eliminated in week 2 of Katie Thurston’s season and tells multiple people, “If you blinked, you didn’t see me.” He thinks of this as an intentional advantage, that he likes “to keep a low profile.”
Zoe McGrady, contestant on Grant’s season, said, “If you think you’ve already figured me out, you’re adorable,” after arriving. Though she was eliminated in week seven, she proudly reminds us that she made it to Grant’s top three without a one-on-one. She declared, “I was the underdog, misunderstood, and the girl no one saw coming. But this time, I’m not waiting for my fairytale ending. I’m writing it.”
“Puerto Rican papi here, reporting for romance,” is how Ricky Marinez introduces himself. He continues, “I’m looking for something specific. It’s called wifey material.” However, he was eliminated from Jenn’s season in the season’s premiere.
Brian Autz took a similar approach to Kyle, saying, “Leaving The Bachelorette [Jenn’s season]after two weeks does have its advantages. For instance, I’m a man of mystery.” However, he continued by saying, “On Jenn’s season, I came out real, real hot, and went home real, real quick,” vowing to reel it in a bit, so as not to turn everyone off. Immediately, he has his eye on Zoe.
Returning from season 9 of Bachelor in Paradise is Kat Izzo, who was engaged to John Henry Spurlock after the season, though they broke up soon after. She was originally on Zach Shallcross’ season of The Bachelor. She said, in a confessional, “Step aside, amateurs, your previously engaged girlie is baaaack.” The flashbacks of her from her previous appearances show her as intense and driven.
The Drama Begins
Though there are always people coming and going from Paradise, after Kat’s arrival, Palmer comes back out to introduce the new elements of the show and officially kick it off. He also teases a few upcoming surprises for the season and announces that the women will be giving out roses this episode, meaning that the women choose who to give roses to, and anyone without a rose will be sent home. However, as soon as Palmer is done giving his spiel, a new guy enters the drama.
“Third time’s a charm,” Justin Glaze says upon his arrival. “I’m back. Not just to find love but to prove that I can keep it. You keep believing in me, and I believe in you guys too, I believe in Paradise.” Justin originally entered Bachelor Nation on Katie’s season; she sent him home right before proposing to Blake Moynes. He then went on the eighth season of Paradise; he was eliminated after the second week, then returned in the fourth week, just to be eliminated that week again. After staying friends for a while, he and Susie Evans (who was engaged to Bachelor Clayton Echard before breaking up six months after the Final Rose) dated for eight months. But Justin is back in Paradise after he and Susie broke up.
Justin is given the first date card and ultimately decides to take Lexi because he feels like they are on the same page with each other. However, their date gets rained out, and he promises to plan something special to make up for it.
Kyle and Bailey also hit it off early on.
After presumably giving her a tour, Spencer sits poolside to chat more with Jess. They immediately bond over their past relationships ending over their partners cheating on them.
“I’m glad we’re getting the deep stuff out of the way,” Spencer says. “I had the best night. I don’t click off the bat,” before leaning in to kiss Jess.
The next day, we see Jonathon and Kat hanging out, as well as Brian and Zoe. While watching Jess and Spencer, Kyle comments, “Spencer and Jess are gonna get married. They are. Book it.”
Hakeem is interested in Bailey and takes matters into his own hands, with a note that says, “You have been requested with your boy.” Hakeem is clearly interested in Bailey and Bailey tells us in a confessional that she is not interested in him.
And then a boat comes to shore to bring a surprising guest:
Dale Moss’ relationship with Clare Crawley on her season of The Bachelorette made waves. They got engaged in the fourth episode of that season, leaving many other men in the dust. (Tayshia Adams became the Bachelorette after Clare left.) However, Clare and Dale broke up, bringing him to Paradise. He was given the second date card. After chatting with Zoe and Alexe (who is so nervous she doesn’t know what to do with herself), Dale asks Kat to go on the date with her.
While we see parts of Dale and Kat’s boat date, including a few moments of seasickness for Kat, she says she’s having her “Mariah Carey Fantasy moment” before the two make out. “He’s helping me feel less seasick. So that’s good,” she adds.
Back at the resort, Palmer brings out one of those new games: There are cardboard cutouts of figures, with quotes about different people on the boards. The contestants go around putting stickers of themselves on the figures, to say whether they are interested in the mystery person, without knowing what they look like. After putting out their stickers, Palmer reveals who each of the people is.
There are two important outcomes of the activity: Hakeem makes a joke to Ricky and Ricky reacts negatively, causing a very public argument between the two—Ricky is then afraid that the interaction will make him look bad to Alexe who really doesn’t want drama. The other outcome is that both Jess and Spencer put their stickers on the others, proving their mutual attraction.
There is one figure no one knows, to announce a new arrival:
Sam McKinney comes down the beach on a motorcycle, calling himself the villain for part of Jenn’s season. Though he received Jenn’s First Impression Rose, he was eliminated in week 6.
Sam is given the next date card and is immediately drawn to Jess. Because of this, Spencer spirals, and is clearly jealous of Sam. In a confessional, after a clap of thunder Spencer comments, “God’s making sure this shit doesn’t happen.”
Bailey and Jeremy go for a walk on the beach and she addresses her relationship with Kyle in a confessional. However, she says that she would probably give her rose to Jeremy. And of course, Jeremy and Bailey make out on the beach.
Sam takes Jess on his date to a purification and rebirth ritual. At first, Jess feels weird about it, not only the ritual but also about Sam, because she’s still thinking about Spencer, but the two get more into the date. She shares with Sam that she’s afraid of heartbreak and Sam shares that Jess is someone who takes all his fear away.
On day three, ahead of the first Rose Ceremony, Justin gives us some commentary on the triangles, including the triangle between Bailey and Jeremy and Kyle and the triangle between Jess and Sam and Spencer.
Then he and Lexi go on their first date and have a conversation about Justin’s relationship with Susie. Though he assures Lexi that it’s all done between him and Susie, Lexi is hesitant.
The Rose Ceremony
At the cocktail party later, Wells Adams gives us lots of commentary, including that Bailey is way out of Jeremy’s league, Adams likes the drama of the triangle with Jess, saying “her heart is saying Sam and her brain is saying we gotta stay with the golden retriever that looks like Clark Kent. It’s a hard one.”
Before the Rose Ceremony, we watch Hakeem going through it, as he realizes he doesn’t have a connection with anyone and will probably be sent home.
So, here are our main spoilers, aka the results of the Rose Ceremony:
- Lexi gives her rose to Justin (although she is worried he’s still not fully over Susie)
- Zoe immediately gives her rose to Brian, as expected. She says, “I could see us building that empire that I like to talk about.”
- Kat chooses Dale, though Jonathon is visibly upset as he had some time with her. Kat says, “Dale, you’ve been a really pleasant surprise in Paradise, and I wanna see where this keeps going.”
- Jess, despite feeling something for Sam following their date, gives her rose to Spencer, who kisses her upon receiving the rose. He says, “Jess’ rose is the only rose I want right now.”
- Bailey, despite feeling torn and worrying about their feelings, gives her rose to Jeremy instead of Kyle.
After the first week in Paradise, Ricky, Hakeem, Kyle, and Sam are going home.
Following the Rose Ceremony, we see the promo for next week’s episode:
From this, we see that Susie might be joining Paradise, and there’s a high likelihood that Jess and Spencer get engaged. Oh, and next week brings the Goldens to Paradise.
The second episode of Bachelor in Paradise premieres at 8 p.m. EST on ABC and streams the next day on Hulu.
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